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The company said it produced about 29 million cubic feet of natural gas per day from a discovery well off the Libyan coast. Its estimated capacity is 50 million cubic feet per day and its proximity to existing production infrastructure will allow for rapid development.

"This exploration success further confirms the enormous potential of Libyan gas resources," the company said in a statement. "The future development of Libyan resources will allow supporting the growth of the domestic consumption and industry, while maintaining Libya's position as a strategic supplier for Italy and Europe."

Italy received nearly 10 percent of its natural gas from Libya's Greenstream pipeline before the Libyan civil war began in February 2011. Eni started production from Libyan offshore fields feeding that pipeline in 2004.

Onshore oil production is curtailed by violence in a dividing Libya. The group calling itself the Islamic State is behind much of the violence, though rivalries exist between competing centers of power in the North African country.

Four Filipino workers were kidnapped from an oil field in Libya last week, just one day after 77 nationals were repatriated in Manila.

With a legacy extending back to 1959, Eni said it's the largest international oil company working in Libya and is producing 250,000 barrels of oil equivalent from its assets there.

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Significant gas discovery made in Libya